A Lego Lesson in Customer Service for Hoteliers

Earlier last week, we came across a story on LEGO customer service that will impress even the most fervently service-oriented hoteliers. The short version of the story is that a customer service rep from LEGO, after receiving an e-mail from a young seven year old who had recently lost a piece in his newly-purchased set, displayed a generous amount of customer service savvy by promising to replace the missing minifigure with an even-better minifigure.

The fact that LEGO offered to replace the merchandise for the boy was an admirable service gesture. The rep’s promise to send an enhanced version of the minifigure goes one step further. But what makes this story so noteworthy is how well the customer service rep understands his customer and his brand. In his note back to the boy he appeals to the child’s imagination and dreams, saying, “Luka, I told Sensei Wu that losing your Jay minifigure was purely an accident and that you would never ever ever let it happen ever again.”

As hoteliers, this kind of detailed, personal customer feedback will look familiar; the service rendered may be different, but the cycle is just the same. Guests check-in with requests, questions and service inquiries, and check-out feeling either satisfied that their needs were met or disgruntled by the hotel’s disregard. Service failures are inevitable, and when they do occur the hotel dutifully recovers with a response. This is the standard guest service procedure. What LEGO was able to accomplish went above and beyond the standard customer service call.

In the end, the manner in which a customer is treated will either build or diminish advocacy for your brand and is a fact that’s inherently played out online in the public’s eye. Whether it’s in the form of a review, blog story, tweet or Facebook post, the ripple effects of exemplary customer service only augment your online reputation. May we all learn from LEGO this lesson.